The UCLA men’s golf team saw victory at the end of the
tunnel. They were in third place and had played their best round of
the tournament.
But that was before a dismal third round dashed those hopes.
In that final round, the Bruins hit +313 (25 over par) and
finished in 8th place of the UNLV Southern Highlands Collegiate
Championship.
“It was obviously a frustrating day to us,” said
coach O. D. Vincent of their third round performance. “You
have a few of those when you play the game long enough.”
Overall, the Bruins finished 40-over par this weekend as they
played against some of the toughest teams in the nation, many of
which they will probably meet again in the NCAA Championships this
May.
For the Bruins, this trip will leave them coming home with at a
long-term lesson.
“I think the guys will learn a lot from our
experience,” Vincent said. “We played in a cold, snowy
and windy course in Las Vegas, similar to the course we will play
in Sun River, Oregon at the NCAA Championships.”
Sophomore Daniel Im, who finished first overall in this
tournament last year, ended up tied for fourth in the desert but
tried his best to find the bright spots in an inconsistent Bruin
performance.
“I think we played really well on Saturday, (but) the
whole team kind of struggled on (Sunday),” Im said.
“I think we learned a lot. We had a shot to win and we
played against some of the best teams in the country. I think were
really close to winning everything; it was a great experience to
us.”
The No. 5 Bruins got off to a slow start in the first round,
shooting a 15-over par 304, which landed them in 7th place and nine
shots behind golf powerhouses Georgia, who is ranked first in the
nation.
The team’s slow start, however, did not hinder Im, who
shot a 3-under par 69 and held a 2-stroke lead going into the
second round.
In the second round, the Bruins climbed their way back into
contention after they recorded the best round score of the
tournament, a 1-under par 287. This landed them in third place,
2-strokes behind UNLV and Georgia, who were tied for the lead.
After their commanding second round, UCLA was in prime position
to make a move for the win but the last round would end their
chances as they shot a dismal 25-over par 313, landing them
permanently in 8th place.
One of the positive factors of this disappointing loss is that
they were competitive against many of the top teams in the country
this weekend, including Georgia.
“They’re the number one team in the country,”
said Im. “So now we know what to expect. … There is really
a small difference between them and us, so I think it will be great
next time we see them.”